Prelude part 3 The Promises
by LadyHawkKathy
Summary: Just before James and Lily went into hiding and Sirius sent Cassie away. The pieces Prelude 1 through 4 are small jump pieces having to do with the lives of Sirius, Remus, Cassian, Lillie, James, and Amelia prior to Nov.1 1981.


The Promises

Or

What We Do for Love

I watched the pain that Remus went through each month. Saw how it tor at him and would leave him in agony for days after. I Know how it felt to me to see someone I loved going through so much, having to endure the physical and mental torcher. I saw Sirius each month change into his anemagus form to lay with Remus and keep him company in the hope it eased some of what Remus was going through. It all just pushed me more to find what had alluded so many others.

I had made them both the promise to love them and support them in whatever way I could. The best way I could in my mind to fully fulfill the promise was not in just being a loving wife, but in putting all I know to its best work and to find, not try to, but to actually find a cure for Lycanthropy.

I started my work at the side of Potion Master Belby not long after I married Sirius and contracted with Remus as my chevalier/second husband. Master Belby was just as driven as I to find not just a treatment for those afflicted with lycanthropy, but to ultimately find its cure.

With myself, Lillie and Severus Snape working alongside the Master the wolvesbane potion took less the six months to work through and prefect. Severus was put to the task of brewing the potion since it really was a complicated proses and needed a skilled hand to get it right every time.

Lillie was assigned the job of documenting all the work, positive and negative and why this did or didn't work. Her strong suit was seeing those connections and how we might be able to employ them in other potion advancements.

My job was to take all those little or big triumphs and failure and see if there was something in them that we may have overlooked where we could have done it better and then follow that trail to it fruition.

To put it all in non-magic titles and terms. Severus was quality control, Lillie was office secretary and formulation chemist, I was number 1 research chemist and Belby was Head chemist.

And we were all doing this while working at other occupations and careers as well. Belby once said of our little team that he had a team of about 16 people all rolled up in four very driven individuals.

Severus was driven to become the youngest potion Master ever, Lillie was driven to prove she was the best that had not been born of magical parentage. Belby himself being the second son was driven to surpass his brother and father and show that birth order had nothing to do with skill or ability. And I, I was driven to find what all those who had come before me had not, what Lycanthropy really was and how to cure it.

By December of 76 we had cracked the problems with the Wolvesbane potion and were able to consistently reproduce it. It wasn't what Master Belby had wanted since the afflicted recipient of the potion had to drink a full goblet every day for the week prior to the full moon and on each of the days of the moon.

Acceptable if your wealthy and have a Master potions brewer that you trusted to make it for you. Expensive, difficult to make, and it tasted horrid. To make it worse don't dare try to do something about the last since any alteration in the ingrediance, the order or amounts would make the potion fall to work if not deadly to the user.

So it was not a potion that could be used by those who really needed it. The young, indigent, or unskilled.

We continued our work.

Lillie hated having to work alongside Severus. At first I didn't know why since neither she of any of the guys would tell me more then. That Severus hated both Sirius and James and that Lillie had at one time been his friend.

It was at our lab yule celebration that Lillie finally told me the story. That was after a drunken Severus had tried to kiss her using a bit of mistletoe to compel her.

Severus was a Slytherin, the guys had all been Gryffindor's, rival houses at school. So there was always tension and as Sirius would put it later he and James had been more then willing to inflict on Severus what he had on younger Gryffindor students plus some.

Lillie having not been raised with the house prejudices that many pure bloods were had friends in all the houses and Severus had been her friend since they were children. So she sided with him in the fueds even when she had known he was in the wrong.

It was in their fourth year thing between them moved from friendship to more. They had even talked of marring after graduation and she had given her virginity to him on his 15th birthday. The last she had never told anyone till me.

Then around the middle of their fifth year he had gotten involved with supporters of Voldemort and she did not like the changes she was seeing in him. So when there was another run in between Him and James she sided with James this one time and Severus called her a mudblood to her face. She had demanded that he take it back and apologies which he refused to do and with that their relationship and friendship was over.

Master Belby had not been aware of Severus's leaning till he overheard our talking that night and walked over to Severus and asked him to pull up his sleeve. When he refused Belby using his wand to slit both sleeves up to the elbow, exposing the snake and skull dark mark on Severus's arm.

Lillie looked away in tears, while Belby tore into Severus about his couse of friends and how the death eater had been going around killing good people over not who they were but who they weren't and that there was no place in his lab for someone we belied in hating someone over something they had no control over.

Severus responded by saying he would go to the board to apply for his Mastery without his letter from Master Belby using his own personal notes as proof . He then turned on Lillie. "You just couldn't keep your mouth shoot could you? I make one mistake and you are determined to destroy my life. Fine you and that pounce of a husband of your will pay.

With that he was gone, apparated out leaving the three of use to our work.

Since I was the one more willing to pick up the task of brewing I added it into my already full schedule. Master Belby seeing just how much I was willing to do went out of his way to get me a time turner so I could do my work and research in the lab, as well as my work for my Mastery as a healer and my time as an intern at St. Mary's to get an MD as well.

What he wasn't aware of was my weekend gigs with the Hobgoblins and the little fact that I had not one but two husbands. The day he found out about just how thin I was spreading myself was the day Lillie slipped up and made a comment about rehearsal.

"What is Miss Evans talking about?"

I shot Lillie a look, "She is talking about me making it to band rehearsal Master Belby."

"Miss Emrick are you telling me that alongside all you are doing to achieve your Mastery as a Healer in both the Magical and the Non-magical worlds you are also preforming in a musical group."

"Yes Sir, and since it would at this point be foolish to continue to withhold from you any other obligations I have I will tell you everything."

Lillie was trying to sneak out. "Lillie Potter move one more step and your extra privileges are gone."

"Potter, privileges, what are you girls taking about?"

We sat him down and laid out our very complicated family life that went along with our work with the Hobgoblins and our work here in the potions lab.

"This will not do". He had started pacing the lab, "I will not have it I tell you, no it is not right."

Lillie and I were both sure we were being fired at that point.

"No we will just have to fine two more assisters to pick up the duties of brewing and of logging. You two should not have hidden you family obligations. Lillie jot a quick note and send it up to St. Mungo's asking then to send us down their best potions brewer and a scribe to start here come Monday. Then you may leave and tell your husbands that Cassian will be along shortly."

"Yes, Sir" Lillie was out the door so fast that one would have thought she had apparated.

"Now Cassie, since having a titled Lady take on two husbands is rare even in wizarding society I would like to understand why you have committed yourself to such a relationship."

I took me time and explained about how and why I had married Sirius and then contracted with Remus making him my cavalla.

"So the reason you took the position here in my lab is because of you second husband."

"Yes Sir, I made him a promise that I would find a cure and I will. I know and love the man and I have witnessed the pain he goes through as the beast. To free him from that is what I work for."

"And your wifely duties."

I lowered my head. "They both understand, at least they say they do."

"Well, I cannot help you directly with your personal life but I can with your professional life." He opened up his privet potions locker and pulled out two bottles. "It is how I became a potions Master in less than a year. It's a very special potion that allows the drinker to absorb knowledge directly from a book or scroll. And permanently retain it. If one were to drink a goblet of this and then walk into the great medical library of London and just walk up and down the racks the knowledge and skills needed to use that knowledge could be absorbed making the 12 years of schooling unnecessary, and the same could be done at St. Mungo's allowing the drinker to take their exams for their healers license on Tuesday if that would be acceptable."

I literally jumped from where I was sitting and hugged him. "Master Belby I don't know what to say."

"Say that once your exams are over for both license's that you will double your efforts here so we can find that cure. You see Cassie I understand how you feel. I was driven to find the cure for much the same reason you are. My wife was attacked by Greyback and left with the same affliction your second husband has." The look on his face was one of pain. "She tried to be strong for me, but after a few months of having the beast take her over and even though the human part of her brain had no control over her actions it was still aware of what she had done. She could not live with that knowledge and took her own life"

We were now both crying. "I should not have burdened you with such knowledge." He turned and picked up the second bottle. This potion I developed after I had the first so that those using the first would not suffer the side effects of the mind trying to deal with all that knowledge at once. It prepare your mind for the absorption of a full library of knowledge and needs to be drunk at least a day before you plan on using the knowledge Potion. So." He poured me a shooters worth of the second and handed it to me. "Now I expect you to visit the library at St. Mungo's tomorrow morning before your band performs at the Kiln. I also expect my name to be on one of the tables in your V.I.P. section since I would like to hear from you that you have done as we have discussed so that all the strings I am going to pull will not be for not."

"Master Belby, I truly don't know how to thank you outside of saying that I will not let you down."

"Cassie you have confided in me who you really are, your true family name, and the truth behind why you are driven. That is showing me a great level of trust and loyalty. More than any Master has seen from an apprentice in ages. How could I not help where I could."

I was up early the next day and out the door. In the library of St Mungo's I filled a small goblet as I had been instructed and downed the liquid fire in one long gulp. The room seemed to shimmer as my mind opened to all the knowledge around Me., I stretched my arms out so that my figures brushed books on both sides of the stacks and started to walk.

It took nearly three hours to take in every book in the library but when I was finished I truly was finished. I sat eyes closed for another hour letting all I had taken in settle quietly into my mind. And to let the potion adjusts to the lack of further input.

A hand gentle came to rest on my left shoulder then another on my right. I looked over my left to find Sirius smiling down on me, then to my right to see Remus.

"Master Belby called the house to see if you had left yet." Remus looked concerned.

"He told Remus and I what you were doing and asked us to stop by his office since you had already left to pick up this last little bottle he had forgotten to give you." Sirius tapped my lips and I opened my mouth. He then dropped 3 drops of a thick ice blue liquid onto my tongue. "This he said will stop the knowledge potions from taking in any more until you take your next dose."

Remus kissed me on the forehead. "I can't believe you would do all this so that you could find a cure for me."

"I made you a promise just like you and Sirius made me." Sirius now kissed me. "Besides I haven't been much of a wife to either of you lately with running myself into the ground. So if I can complete all my studies this way I then can have the time to devote to what is really important. The two of you."

"We called your parents and your Father has made some calls and your exams at St. Mary's and with the Medical licensing board are in one month."

My head which had felt like it was on fire now was feeling cool and relaxed.

"Oh and your Father said to tell you that if he hears that you have pushed yourself like this ever again he will not hesitate to come across the pond and paddle your bottom." Remus gave me a wicked smile. "I told him that I didn't think that would discourage you much. He shook his head and said that you are way too much like your Mother and that he really didn't need to know such things."

Sirius picked me up in a cradle carry and carried me out to the bike, placing me in the side car with Remus. "You two ready to head home."

I don't remember answering, I don't remember the ride home. What I do remember is how nice and warm I was under the blanket with Remus's arms around me in the sidecar. Early January is no time to be riding a bike most anywhere in the northern hemisphere.

No-one was home when we got there, and to be honest I was happy about that. No-one know what I was up to except from Sirius and Remus now, and I preferred it stayed that way. Master Belby's potions were not ones that were available to anyone. So keeping them to myself seemed the right and proper thing to do.

"You do know that once you have finished your exams and all, and have the time and energy to be a wife again neither Lillie nor Amy are going to be happy." Sirius took my leather and hung it by the door.

"Why?" I had been so tired the last two months that most nights I would eat then head to bed to sleep.

"They have both been using your lack of wifely affection as an excuse for them to fill in as they put it. After all someone needed to make sure Sirius and I didn't suffer because you didn't have time for the two of us."

I glared at them both. "And neither of you know how to say no thank you."

Sirius now shot a look at Remus that read as, you really shouldn't have said that look.

"It's not like they were in our beds every night or we in theirs. Amy pushed a little more than Lillie but yes they spent an extra day a week sharing our beds. Not yours and mine, but the beds we normally would share with them."

I wasn't feeling all that logical at that point and I don't think anything either of them said was going to pacify my temper. Remus had been trying to help me get off my boots and I put toe to heal and the boot he was pulling off went flying. I then stood and stomped my way down the hall and into my room locking the door behind me.

Tears now began to fall in grate saps. I was doing this all for them. Putting myself though all this, going without so I could keep my promise and for what, to be forgotten by the men who said they loved me and betrayed by my cousin and best friend.

Clearly I was emotionally out of control. Lillie after all was Sirius's courtesan and had all rights to share his bed and comfort him if I could not and clearly I could not. And Amy was Remus's girlfriend and had been long before I came around so again I had no leg to stand on in this. It was just the way Remus had phrased it that set me off.

Healer knowledge kicked in and I realized that I was having a stress induced schism, in medical terms I was having a bit of an emotional break down due to lack of sleep. I needed two things something to release the stress and sleep, at least four to eight hours.

A hand gentle, lovingly stroked my hair and I just cried more trying to apologies between sabs. "Its alright Cassie we both understand that's the only reason we didn't say anything when you didn't seem to want companionship. Lillie told us about you using the time turner to get all your work and studies finished each day. And to be honest we were about to go to Master Belby ourselves about this if she hadn't spilled the beans yesterday." Sirius continued to try and sooth me.

"I don't want to loss you because of my condition. Honestly Cass I would rather spend the rest of my life locked in that cell in the basement then loss what we have. That is if we still have it."

I sat up so fast that I made myself dizzy a look of fear and shock on my face.

"Good going canine brain, you got room in that mussel of yours for another paw." Sirius reached across and hit Remus on the back of the head. "And people say I'm the one who doesn't think thing through. What this tosser is trying to say is that we both still and always will love you and we would like it if you would come and share the big bed with us and let us show you just how very much we have missed you. Its only a bit past eleven and our show isn't till nine which would let us help you to feel just how missed you have been and let you get some sleep cuddled between us.

Up in the big room on the second floor chocolates and flowers along with sweet smelling oils and wine waited to be enjoyed, Remus and Sirius worked together to remove the rest of my garments then rubbed me down with oils to revitalize and arose my every nerve. To be honest just seeing them both standing there in their all in all was enough to get me going, It had been a long while since I had enjoyed eithers company and the idea of having them both at the same time set my head spinning and my heart raising.

Oil found its way into every spot it could and some that need help for it to get there, nearly bringing me to orgasm with just oil and figures alone. Remus levered me into his lap and onto his very hard member filling my anus and making me gasp. He then spread his knees and holding my legs to his opened me so that Sirius could position himself between them. The head of his cock gentle pressed at the mouth of my vagina. Remus then raised on his knees lifting me with him and letting Sirius move forward far enough that their members touched and making me more than a little aware of what they were planning.

I had never taken them both at once and had to admit to myself that I was a little scared that I wouldn't be able to. Sirius seeing the look of fear kissed me and then told me that the oil was made just for this and I needed to relax and just enjoy what was coming next.

Remus's tongue tickled at my ear distracting me just enough for Sirius to slip the tip of his cock into me. Then without warning Remus dropped down impaling me on both himself and Sirius.

A gasp then a scream and hands on my waist raised and lowered me working the two massive cocks in and out of me making my world turn into one of sensation and pleasure beyond that of words. Then I felt the knots at the base of both of their cocks. Why I fell in love with two men who were part canid I questioned at that point but could do nothing about as I was pulled down fast and hard and felt the double pop and the both knotted me. Locking the three of us together.

Together in lust, together in love, together in marriage. A spell of three that was cast to never be broken. This was our lives from this point on. Not as a couple or two couples but as a triad.

Even years later after Amy and Remus married we were still a triad. Promises had been made and would be kept. For these are the things we did for love.


End file.
